robotkart

Robotkart is a robotic platform built around a go-kart chassis designed for automated control. It enables propulsion, steering, and sensing to operate the vehicle autonomously or under remote control. The term encompasses both the hardware platform and the software stack used to manage navigation, perception, and actuation on a track.

The concept emerged from robotics education and university lab projects that repurposed small motor vehicles for autonomous driving experiments. Open-source kits, standardized chassis, and shared sensor packages helped broaden participation and accelerate development in classroom and research settings.

A typical robotkart combines an electric drive system with a steering mechanism and safety interlocks. Onboard computing processes sensor data from wheel encoders, inertial measurement units, cameras, and sometimes lidar or depth sensors. It may use microcontrollers for real-time tasks and an SBC or embedded PC for higher-level processing, often running ROS or similar software. Power is supplied by rechargeable batteries, and safety features include emergency stops and remote monitoring.

Robotkarts are used for education, research, and competition. Teams design autonomous or teleoperated karts to race on closed tracks, testing perception, planning, and control under racing constraints. Governing rules typically address safety, vehicle specifications, and fair competition.

See also: autonomous vehicle; robotics education.